Mr. Jonathan Powell:

The Chairman is absolutely right about the crucial role of the United States. I read a short history ages ago of the US role on the Irish question. It goes way back into the 19th century in politics and was certainly quite active at the time of Woodrow Wilson. It is not new. The positive role played by Bill and Hilary Clinton and by George Mitchell was really quite extraordinary and played a major part in the success of the Good Friday Agreement negotiations and implementation. Subsequent envoys also played more or less important roles depending on what was going on. Richard Haass played an important role when he was the envoy. I am slightly in two minds about whether an envoy now would be helpful. It would only be helpful if it was acceptable to both sides. In the case of George Mitchell, leaving aside his saintly patience in being prepared to sit down for so long and take a lot of grief, and his commitment to doing it, he was trusted by both sides. He really was. That was enormously important. If an envoy is going to be useful, he or she will have to be able to win the trust of both sides in Northern Ireland. It is only worth doing in those circumstances.